5 Friday October 5th.
Over the years with Mustard Seed Jersey, I have seen real progress and
good changes. I have also met some memorable characters.
One of those characters was Monti, who had only one eye. She was on our
sponsorship pensioner support programme as she was in great need, caring for
her grandchildren as well as trying to provide for herself. But then Monti
developed a cataract. Of course she had no chance of
paying for the eye surgery and was losing her sight very noticeably. I was
saddened to see how she was struggling, moving cautiously and clearly
identifying people by their voices.
This story has a good end - Monti’s sponsor kindly paid for her cataract
surgery. The next time I saw her, Monti came up and greeted me clearly
recognising me by sight before I could speak to her. It was just great to see
the difference that the provision of money for cataract surgery had made.
This year on our Christmas appeal leaflet, for the first time we ask for
money to provide for medical needs. Among the poorest of the poor we recognise
this is a big need, when you cannot obtain free treatment, sometimes as big a
need as for food and heating.
When Jesus Christ was on earth 2000 years ago, he put his hands on people and healed them. Today we still have the
opportunity to use our hands to help and to heal. Sometimes we can give money
that will provide medication, or pay for needed surgical procedures.
Thank you for listening this week. I’ll close with the prayer of St
Francis. Please join with me in praying: Lord make me a channel of your peace,
where there is hatred let me bring your love, where there is injury your
healing Lord and where there’s doubt true faith in you.